Fixed cable spool to hold a sling line



June 7, 1966 J. E. YOUNG FIXED CABLE SPOOL TO HOLD A SLING LINE 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed Aug. 4, 1964 G N U 0 Y E S E M A J I NVENTOR.

BYW

HIS AGENT June 7, 1966 J. E. YOUNG FIXED CABLE SPOOL TO HOLD A SLING LINE 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed Aug. 4, 1964 JAMES E. YOUNG INVENTOR.

HIS AGENT United States Patent 3,254,913 FIXED CABLE SPOOL TO HOLD A SLlNG LINE James E, Young, R0. Box 1317, Plainview, Tex. 79073 Filed Aug. 4, 1964, Ser. No. 387,323

Claims. (Cl. 294-78) This invention relates to sling slide holders and more particularly to a fixed cable spool to hold a sling line and the like.

Various sling lines have been proposed heretofore, but these, for the most part, were of a fixed length and a load having an unequal center of gravity, that is, heavier on one end than the other end, was hard to balance when lifting with a hoist line, crane and the like.

The present invention relates to a fixed cable spoolwhich is divided so a portion of the cable may be wound on one side of the spool and another portion of the cable may be wound on the opposite side of the spool in such manner that the desired length of cable on one side of the spool may be unwound and coupled to an object to be lifted and an equal, or an unequal length of cable may be unwound and connected to the opposite end of the object to be lifted. In the case of an object being of an equal weight throughout the entire length thereof, an equal amount of cable may be unwound from each side of the spool and connected to the object, and when the object is lifted, the object will remain level and stable. However, if an object which is heavier on one end than the other, a lesser length of cable is unwound and connected to the heavier end, and a greater length of cable is unwound and connected to the opposite end so that when the object is lifted by a hoist line, the object will remain level and stable.

In addition to serving as a fixed cable spool for a sling line and the like, one or more lengths of chain may be connected to the distal end of the sling line so that various connections may be made to the object being lifted to insure stability thereof.

Furthermore, the fixed cable spool for the sling line is so constructed as to be sufficiently heavy to act as a weight for a hoist or crane line to insure the lowering of hook end thereof, with a provision of an additional line therebelow to enable heavy objects to be picked up without having to remove the fixed cable spool from the hoist or crane line. I

The present invention is so constructed that it will readily lend itself to handling relatively short objects, or a sufficient length of sling line cable may be attached to the fixed cable spool and unwound therefrom to engage an object of any desired length that is to be handled by a hoist or crane line.

While various load equalizer arrangements have been provided heretofore for sling lines, these for the most part were inflexible for connecting to any or all loads, whether short or long, heavy or light, or whether symmetrical or unsymmetrical in shape, or unevenly weighted from end to end.

A sling line is mounted on and secured to the present fixed cable spool in rigid relation in such manner that no brakes, frictional wraps, ratchets, or other non-positive elements, which might slip or give way are required when the present device is being used to move objects weighing many tons from one place to another by a hoist, crane, or the like.

An object of this invention is to' provide a fixed cable spool sling line holder, the line of which is rigidly attached to the fixed cable spool in such manner that it will not slip in event the load is unequal.

Another object of the invention is to provide a combination sling line holder and hoist line weight which is so "Ice constructed that it may be readily attached to or detached from a hoist line.

Still a further object of the invention is to provide a hoist line weight for cranes and the like which is readily attached to the hook of a hoist line, and which, in addition to the sling line thereon, has a downwardly extending pick-up line directly below the hoist line so that objects may be picked up by the pick-up line without having to remove the sling lines or the hoist line weight.

Still another object of the invention is to provide a fixed cable spool for hoist and crane lines on which the entire sling line may be coiled to enable the pick-up line to be used with a hoist.

Another object of the invention is to provide a device which will enable the adjustment of a sling line Without the necessity of removing or adding elements to arrive at a sling line of the proper length.

And a still further object of the invention is to provide a fixed cable spool with a sling line attachably secured thereto in rigid relation, on which an auxiliary, outwardly extending chain or cable crowfoot may be attached to enable the picking up of objects of irregular shape.

And a still further object of the invention is to provide a fixed cable spool for a sling line that is simple in construction, low in the cost of manufacture, easy to attach to and detach from a hoist line.

With these objects in mind and others which will become, manifest as the description proceeds, reference is to be had to the accompanying drawings'in which like reference characters designate like parts'in the several views thereof, in which:

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of the invention shown to be attached to a hoist line, with a sling line and crowfoot chains attached to a body of unequal weight in such manner as to maintain the load level end stable, and showing a hoist pick-up line attached to the fixed cable spool;

FIG. 2 is an enlarged perspective view showing a side and end of the fixed cable spool for sling lines;

FIG. 3 is an elevational view on the same scale as FIG. 2;

FIG. 4 is a sectional view taken on line 4-4 of FIG. 2, looking in the direction indicated by the arrows; and

FIG. 5 is a view on the same scale as FIG. 2 and showing a top plan view thereof with a sling line cable wound onto the cable spool and extending outward therefrom, with each reach of the cable 'being broken away and shortened and with a crowfoot of sling chains with hooks thereon attached to the distal end of each reach of the sling cable, with the chains broken away and shortened, and with a portion of certain of the hooks beingbroken away.

With more detailed reference to the drawings, the numeral 1 designates generally a hoist or crane line or cable having a hook 2 thereon, a fixed cable spool for a sling line is designated generally by the numeral 4, which fixed cable spool 4 has an elongated medial plate 6 which plate is apertured at top and bottom as indicated at 8 and 10, respectively. The aperture or ho1e 8 is of sufiicient size to receive the hook 2 therethrough, and is pref-v erably of the same cross sectional shape as the hook 2 so that the hook will fit in snug contact relation within the contour hole or aperture 8. The aperture or hole 10 slopes inwardly and downwardly towards the bottom lower end of the 14 and clamped or fastened in such' picked up by hook 2, except by using the present fixed cable spool and a length of sling line attached thereto will suffice and substitute for the conventional weights used on hoist line which insures the lowering of hoist line and pick-up hook 2 plus serving the additional function of a ready sling line of any desired length, plus or minus one.

wrap of cable on the spool thereof, from the center to the respective distal ends of each reach.

The elongated medial plate 6 has a hole 16 centrally located mediate the sides and ends thereof of a size to receive a relatively short length of a tubular member such as a heavy steel pipe 18, which pipe 18 is secured to the medial plate 6 as by welding, as will best be seen in FIGS. 2, 3, and 5. The pipe 18 extends outward on each side of the medial plate 6 and has lugs or ears 20 and 22 welded on each end on top and bottom thereof, and lugs 24 on each end on each of the respective sides, of the pipe 18 so as to form a cable receiving space 26 and 28 on each side of the medial plate 6. Notches 30 are formed between the respective lugs 20 and 24, and 22 and 24 so the cable may be taken outward therethrough laterally from the spool or pipe 8. The medial plate 6 has a hole 32 formed therein intermediate the hole 8 and the top of the pipe 18 to enable a U-shaped cable clamp 34 to pass thereinto and into holes 36 in pipe 18 at the top thereof.

A length of sling cable 38 is passed through the hole 32 and through 'U-clamp 34 in such manner that preferably each reach of the sling cable 38 is of equal length, whereupon the clamp 34 is tightened to bindingly engage the cable with pipe 18, which clamp 34 will prevent endwise movement of the sling cable 38. By having the sling cable 38 secured in this manner, one-half of the cable may be wrapped within the cable holding space 26 in one direction, viewed from the center, and the other portion or length of the cable may be wrapped in the other cable holding space designated at 28. The sling cable 38 may be of any size commensurate with the loads handled and accordingly the fixed cable spool 4 may be of such size as to withstand the loads handled by the particular cable with which it is used. Likewise, the diameter of the pipe 18 forming the basis of the spool on which the cable 38 is coiled is of such diameter as to prevent kinking of the cable or being coiled on such small space that it will not uncoil properly when removed therefrom. The sling cable 38 may have a loop or ring 40 on each distal end of each reach thereof on which a plurailty of chains 42 are secured, each of which chains may have a hook 44 thereon so as to form a ready pick-up arrangement for objects both regular and irregular shapes.

It is preferable to have the medial plate 6 and the lugs 20, 22, and 24 constructed of heavy steel plate with the lugs secured to the thick wall of pipe 18 in symmetrically arranged relation and welded thereto as by welds 46. The medial plate 6 is secured to pipe 18 in perpendicular relation thereto by welds 48 so as to provide cable spooling spaces 26 and 28 on each side of the plate 6.

The pipe 18 is open at each end through which hook H may be passed back and forth to take up the slack in pickup cable 12 while the sling line cables 38 are being used. When it is desired to transport the fixed cable spool 4 with sling cable 38 thereon, the respective reaches of the sling cable 38 may be wound into the respective spooling spaces 26 and 28, as well as the sling chains 42; then by passing hook H and pick-up cable 12 through the open ends of pipe 18, the entire fixed cable spool 4 and the cable and chains attached thereto may be coiled into a composite, compact unit for transportation, shipment or storage.

Having thus clearly shown and described the invention,

what is claimed as new and desired to be secured by Letters Patent is: 1. In a cable spooling arrangement for spooling sling lines thereonto;

(a) an elongated plate, (b)a cylindrical, pipe-like member fitted intermediate the length of said plate and having a cylindrical portion extending outward on each side of said plate, (c) an abutment on each outer end of said cylindrical,

pipe-like member, (d) said plate having a hole formed therein intermediate an end thereof and said pipe-like member, and (e) means securing a length of cable in fixed relation with respect to said elongated plate so a portion of the cable can be coiled on one side of said cylindrical, pipe-like member and another portion of the cable can be coiled on the opposite side of said cylindrical, pipe-like member.

2. In a cable spooling arrangement for spooling sling lines thereonto; as defined in claim 1; wherein (a) said elongated plate has a second hole formed intermediate the other end thereof and said cylindrical, pipe-like member for attachment of a pick-up cable thereto to depend therefrom. 3. In a cable spooling arrangement for spooling sling lines thereonto, as defined in claim 1, wherein:

(a) said abutments on said cylindrical, pipe-like member are positioned thereon at each end thereof and circumferentially spaced around the periphery of said cylindrical, pipe-like member.

4. In a cable spooling arrangement for spooling sling lines thereonto, as defined in claim 1, wherein:

(a) said elongated plate member is formed into a rigid, unitary piece of metal of substantially symmetrical shape;

5. In a cable spooling arrangement for spooling sling lines thereonto, as defined in claim 1, wherein:

(a) said elongated plate has a hole therein centrally thereof intermediate the ends and sides of a size to receive said cylindrical, pipe-like member in close fitting relation, 4

(b) weld means securing said cylindrical, pipe-like member within said center hole in said plate so said cylindrical, pipe-like member will extend outward on each side of said elongated plate,

(0) circumferentially spaced lugs weldably secured to said pipe-like member near each end thereof,

(d) said plate having an opening formed therein adjacent said cylindrical, pipe-like member,

(e) said cylindrical, pipe-like member having spaced apart holes therein to receive the respective legs of a screwthreaded U-bolt therethrough,

(1 said opening adjacent said pipe in said medial plate adapted to admit a cable to pass therethrough beneath said U-shaped bolt from one side of said medial plate to the other side thereof, and

(f)screwthreaded nut means on said screwthreaded U-bolt to bindingly engage a length of sling cable in fixed relation with respect to said cylindrical, pipelike member.

6. In a cable spooling arrangement for spooling sling 'lines thereonto, as defined in claim 5, wherein:

(a) a cable is fixedly secured to said cylindrical, pipe- (a) a plurality of lengths of chain are attached to each end of said cable, and (b) load engaging means on each distal end of said chain.

8. In a cable spooling arrangement for spooling sling lines thereonto, as defined in claim 2, wherein:

(a) a pick-up cable is secured to the end of said elongated plate within said other hole and extending downward therefrom.

9. In a cable spooling arrangement for spooling sling lines theronto, as defined in claim 8; wherein (a) a hook is provided on the distal end of said downwardly extending pick-up cable.

10. In a cable spooling arrangement for spooling sling lines thereonto:

(a) an elongated member,

(b) a closed curve body member integral with said elongated member and extending outwardly from each side thereof intermediate the length thereof,

(c) an abutment on each outer end of said closed curve body member,

(d) said elongated member having a hole formed therein intermediate an end thereof and said closed curve body member, and

(e) means securing a length of cable in fixed relation with respect to said elongated member so a portion of said cable can be coiled around said closed curve body member on one side of said elongated member and another portion of said cable can be coiled around said closed curve body member on the opposed side of said elongated member.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 1/1920 Rounds 294-78 8/1944 Caldwell 29474 

1. IN A CABLE SPOOLING ARRANGEMENT FOR SPOOLING SLING LINES THEREONTO; (A) AN ELONGATED PLATE, (B) A CYLINDRICAL, PIPE-LIKE MEMBER FITTED INTERMEDIATE THE LENGTH OF SAID PLATE AND HAVING A CYLINDRICAL PORTION EXTENDING OUTWARD ON EACH SIDE OF SAID PLATE, (C) AN ABUTMENT ON EACH END OF SAID CYLINDRICAL, PIPE-LIKE MEMBER, (D) SAID PLATE HAVING A HOLE FORMED THEREIN INTERMEDIATE AN END THEREOF AND SAID PIPE-LIKE MEMBER, AND (E) MEANS SECURING A LENGTH OF CABLE IN FIXED RELATION WITH RESPECT TO SAID ELONGATED PLATE SO A PORTION OF THE CABLE CAN BE COILED ON ONE SIDE OF SAID CYLINDRICAL, PIPE-LIKE MEMBER AND ANOTHER PORTION OF THE CABLE CAN BE COILED ON THE OPPOSITE SIDE OF SAID CYLINDRICAL, PIPE-LIKE MEMBER. 